Chemistry @ Monash from the Head of School

Chemistry as a discipline

Chemistry is the central science, underpinning all other physical and life sciences. Solutions to current world problems with the environment, energy resources, waste management, pollution control, and progress in medical treatments, materials, nanotechnology, biotechnology, nutrition, forensic science, and industrial processes will rely heavily on chemical knowledge and its application.The next generation of chemists, like the present generation, will be heavily involved in these endeavours and hence will continue to be a valuable commodity to understanding the world around us and improving our way of life.

The multidisciplinary nature of chemistry means a graduate majoring in Chemistry can step into many careers either with chemistry or chemistry combined with other disciplines. Not all chemists wear white coats!  While many professional chemists are employed in the laboratory, many more are employed in teaching, science journalism, sales, marketing and production and in all levels of management. Chemistry will also help develop skills in logical thinking, critical analysis, computer literacy, numeracy, and data and information handling and communication. Many chemistry graduates who no longer think of themselves as professional chemists also apply and develop the analytical and scientific skills attained in chemistry in a diverse range of other fields both within science and in other areas such as law, banking, administration, retailing, politics and the commercial world.Studying chemistry therefore keeps the doors open to a limitless range of careers and a chemistry student can step through many of these careers at a number of stages throughout their life.

Chemistry at Monash

The School of Chemistry at Monash is one of the best performing Schools of Chemistry in the country.  It continually ranks in the top two through yearly Go8 benchmarking exercises and has recently been ranked 64^th in the world through the Shanghai Jiao Tong World University rankings – the highest by any Australian University.

The School enjoys a strong international reputation with many academics, researchers and postgraduate students joining the School from overseas institutions.  At last count, the School is made up from over 35 nationalities across Asia, Middle East, Europe and the Americas. We offer a nurturing and safe environment for all students to enjoy their studies.

The School hosts a number of specialist Research Centres including the Centre for Green Chemistry, the Centre for Biospectroscopy, the Water Studies Centre and the Australian Centre for Electroactive Science.  As you can tell from the titles, these Centres are at the forefront of a number of socially relevant areas including sustainability, medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring and clean energy.  In 2009 the School was host to two Federation Fellows, two ARC Australian Professorial Fellows, two Future Fellows and a host of QEII and other research Fellowships.  Furthermore, our research is underpinned by state-of-the-art research equipment and instrumentation, and access to Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy, the neighbouring Australian Synchrotron, Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication and CSIRO.

The School of Chemistry at Monash University provides world’s best practice in chemical education and training through access to an intellectual environment with world-class facilities for research in the chemical sciences.  The School has a broad research base that emphasises the chemistry of sustainability and recognised strengths in the areas of materials, synthetic, analytical and green chemistry.  The School has a strong focus on student learning which is stimulated by our active research culture, industry engagement and community involvement.

While research is a focus of the School as is required within any high profile University, we are also committed to high quality science education for producing the next generation of chemists.  For example, our academic staff are recipients of Faculty, University, Royal Australian Chemical Institute and National ALTC awards for undergraduate teaching.  We have an ongoing commitment to the ASI Science Olympiad, the Siemens Science Experience, VCE instrument workshops and the Murder Mystery for VCE year 9-12 students.  Many of our staff have also been involved with Science teacher training through STAV and associated workshops.  For much of 2009 and leading now into 2010, the School has been highly committed to working on curriculum development with the John Monash Science School collocated on the Clayton Campus.

Within Monash’s Science Faculty, it is possible to combine a chemistry major with many other subjects through a combined degree or a choice of subjects within the BSc, BSci (Adv) and BEnvSci degrees. The chemistry subjects offered at Monash are designed to provide an appropriate avenue for students undertaking combined degrees and studying Chemistry as a major subject within the combined degrees of Science/Law, Science/Engineering, Science/Education and Science/Arts.  More information on what we offer can be found in our undergraduate brochure (pdf 268kb).

If you are interested in studying chemistry, then Monash’s School of Chemistry is a unique place in which to ignite your passion and to further your quest in understanding the world from a molecular level.